David’s Further Conquests(A)

After this it came to pass that David [a]attacked the Philistines and subdued them. And David took [b]Metheg Ammah from the hand of the Philistines.

Then (B)he defeated Moab. Forcing them down to the ground, he measured them off with a line. With two lines he measured off those to be put to death, and with one full line those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s (C)servants, and (D)brought tribute.

David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of (E)Zobah, as he went to recover (F)his territory at the River Euphrates. David took from him one thousand chariots, [c]seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David (G)hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots.

(H)When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians. Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought tribute. So (I)the Lord preserved David wherever he went. And David took (J)the shields of gold that had belonged to the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. Also from [d]Betah and from (K)Berothai,[e] cities of Hadadezer, King David took a large amount of bronze.

When [f]Toi king of (L)Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer, 10 then Toi sent [g]Joram his son to King David, to [h]greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and Joram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold, and articles of bronze. 11 King David also (M)dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued— 12 from [i]Syria, from Moab, from the people of Ammon, from the (N)Philistines, from Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 And David made himself a (O)name when he returned from killing (P)eighteen thousand [j]Syrians in (Q)the Valley of Salt. 14 He also put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and (R)all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David wherever he went.

David’s Administration(S)

15 So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people. 16 (T)Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; (U)Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 (V)Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; [k]Seraiah was the [l]scribe; 18 (W)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the (X)Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were [m]chief ministers.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 8:1 Lit. struck
  2. 2 Samuel 8:1 Lit. The Bridle of the Mother City
  3. 2 Samuel 8:4 seven thousand, 1 Chr. 18:4
  4. 2 Samuel 8:8 Tibhath, 1 Chr. 18:8
  5. 2 Samuel 8:8 Chun, 1 Chr. 18:8
  6. 2 Samuel 8:9 Tou, 1 Chr. 18:9
  7. 2 Samuel 8:10 Hadoram, 1 Chr. 18:10
  8. 2 Samuel 8:10 Lit. ask him of his welfare
  9. 2 Samuel 8:12 LXX, Syr., Heb. mss. Edom
  10. 2 Samuel 8:13 LXX, Syr., Heb. mss. Edomites and 1 Chr. 18:12
  11. 2 Samuel 8:17 Shavsha, 1 Chr. 18:16
  12. 2 Samuel 8:17 secretary
  13. 2 Samuel 8:18 Lit. priests

David’s Victories(A)

In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines(B) and subdued(C) them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.

David also defeated the Moabites.(D) He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.(E)

Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer(F) son of Rehob, king of Zobah,(G) when he went to restore his monument at[a] the Euphrates(H) River. David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers[b] and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung(I) all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

When the Arameans of Damascus(J) came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. He put garrisons(K) in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject(L) to him and brought tribute. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.(M)

David took the gold shields(N) that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. From Tebah[c] and Berothai,(O) towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

When Tou[d] king of Hamath(P) heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,(Q) 10 he sent his son Joram[e] to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze.

11 King David dedicated(R) these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: 12 Edom[f](S) and Moab,(T) the Ammonites(U) and the Philistines,(V) and Amalek.(W) He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

13 And David became famous(X) after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites[g] in the Valley of Salt.(Y)

14 He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites(Z) became subject to David.(AA) The Lord gave David victory(AB) wherever he went.(AC)

David’s Officials(AD)

15 David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right(AE) for all his people. 16 Joab(AF) son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat(AG) son of Ahilud was recorder;(AH) 17 Zadok(AI) son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar(AJ) were priests; Seraiah was secretary;(AK) 18 Benaiah(AL) son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites(AM) and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.[h]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 8:3 Or his control along
  2. 2 Samuel 8:4 Septuagint (see also Dead Sea Scrolls and 1 Chron. 18:4); Masoretic Text captured seventeen hundred of his charioteers
  3. 2 Samuel 8:8 See some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 18:8); Hebrew Betah.
  4. 2 Samuel 8:9 Hebrew Toi, a variant of Tou; also in verse 10
  5. 2 Samuel 8:10 A variant of Hadoram
  6. 2 Samuel 8:12 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 18:11); most Hebrew manuscripts Aram
  7. 2 Samuel 8:13 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac (see also 1 Chron. 18:12); most Hebrew manuscripts Aram (that is, Arameans)
  8. 2 Samuel 8:18 Or were chief officials (see Septuagint and Targum; see also 1 Chron. 18:17)